Recognizing National Infant Immunization Week

by jmaloni

Thu, Apr 18th 2013 03:05 pm

Editorial by the Niagara County Department
of Health

National
Infant Immunization Week is being held April 20 through 27. This is an annual
observance to highlight the importance of protecting infants from
vaccine-preventable diseases and to celebrate the achievements of immunization
programs in promoting healthy communities throughout the U.S.

Vaccines
are among the most successful and cost-effective health tools available for
preventing disease and death. They not only help protect vaccinated
individuals, but also help protect entire communities by preventing and
reducing the spread of infectious diseases.

Immunization
is a shared responsibility. Families, health care professionals and public
health officials must work together to help protect the entire community.
Health care professionals remain parents' most trusted source of information
about vaccines for their children. They play a critical role in supporting
parents in understanding and choosing vaccinations.

Giving
babies the recommended immunizations by age 2 is the best way to protect them
from 14 serious childhood diseases, like whooping cough (pertussis) and measles.
Immunizations provide immunity early in life, before children are exposed to
potentially life-threatening diseases. Even though most serious vaccine
preventable diseases are rare in the U.S., foreign travelers can bring them
into the country, putting unvaccinated children at risk.

During
2012, there was an increase in pertussis cases in a majority of states. Today,
there are cases in every state and the country is on track to have the most
reported cases since 1959. There have been more than 35,000 cases of pertussis
reported across the U.S., including 16 deaths. The majority of these deaths
were among infants younger than 3 months of age.

Young
children rely on the champions in their lives to keep them safe and healthy.
Those champions may be parents, doctors, nurses or other health care
professionals who share scientifically accurate and up-to-date information
about vaccines with parents. The U.S. has the safest, most effective vaccine
supply in its history. As new information and science become available, this
system is and will continue to be updated and improved.

Today,
all children have the opportunity to be immunized and protected from disease.
No child should have to suffer or die from a vaccine preventable disease. Love
them. Protect them. Immunize them.

For
more information on immunizations for children, or to schedule an appointment,
call the Niagara County Department of Health Immunization Program at 278-1903.
Recommended and required immunizations are offered free of charge through the
State Department of Health Vaccines for Children Program to eligible infants
and children through 18 years of age.